Searchers

Writers: Suzee, Paula, Emma
Date Posted: 12th September 2012

Characters: Ciendra, Oria, L'cor, Dourla, N'dori, Deveker
Description: Search riders come to Green Valley
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 10, day 7 of Turn 6

Oria

L'cor

Lecordin looked out the window and witnessed the arrival of a pair of
dragons in the courtyard of the hold. The normally expansive space
seemed somehow small when occupied by a pair of Pern's protectors.

"Steward Deveker," he called. "Looks like there are some riders here."

The steward sighed. Dragons causing a disruption to the relatively smooth
running of his hold was not what he had anticipated for the day.

"Go and see what they want would you?" Deveker said. "And if you can make
the visit as quick as possible.."

N'dori looked around when Kylereth backwinged to land. The big, muscular man
on a back of a dainty, graceful green looked slightly mismatched. When
people met N'dori, they almost everytime presumed that he was brownrider
like his dad. He had the looks: not tall, but taller than average, with wide
shoulders and bulking muscles, square jaw and the solid, easygoing and
confident personality. They were suprised to find out he was as "green" as
male greenrider can be.

"Ah, Green Valley, lovely place." He was often paired with Searchriders
because of his built, no one with sense wanted to brawl with strong, sturdy
smith like him.

"It is pretty," Oria replied as Degrorth folded her wings. "I wonder what it
would be like to live here."

Lecordin tossed a "Yes sir," over his shoulder as he hurried off to do
the Steward's bidding. He'd never actually spoken to a dragonrider
before but since these were both green he didn't feel significantly
out of his depth.

Curious people were gathering around the edges of the yard and peering
through the windows. His eyes widened suddenly when he realized one of
the riders was a very burly man.

"Greetings riders," he called as he trotted down the steps. "Welcome
to Green Valley, what can we do for you today?"

"Greetings, sir. We're riding a Search," N'dori replied. As usual,
Kylereth was ignoring the people around. N'dori so wished she were
Searchdragon like his brother's blue, but no. She did preen when she
spotted the watchdragon.
** Quit the flirting. He's on duty, and you shouldn't disturb him with
your flirts.**

"Search?" Lecordin looked back and forth at the gathering crowd.
Personally he knew and respected the good of providing their tithes to
Emerald Falls who in turn tithed to the Weyr. These were their
protectors, the riders who put their own lives on the line to keep him
safe from Thread.

He bowed to them, "It is an honor to meet you. Are there eggs on your
sands then?" Of course he wasn't certain Deveker felt the same way and
hoped they'd do their business before the man realized they were still
here.

Oria had by this time removed her helmet and flying jacket. "There will be
soon," she said to the young man. "My Degrorth can find good candidates. If
possible, we'd like to see the young people here of the right age."

Ciendra was sneaking out of the kitchen door, hoping fervently that
her aunt didn't spot her. She would stop her if she noticed her. She
just had to see the dragons, had to. Just the mere word, dragon, gave
her a chill and made her heart beat faster.

Lecordin waved toward the young people in the crowd to come forward,
even though he looked over his shoulder as he did. "Those of you who
wish to present yourselves come here and stand in front of me on the
steps."

A few came running with others walking more slowly behind them. They
lined themselves up at the bottom of the steps.

"I'm ready when they are," Oria said to N'dori and the young man with the
knots of the Stewards. "Are there any more people who might be eligible?"

"It's your Search, I'm just a bodyguard," N'dori murmured silently to Oria.

Ciendra took a spot in a forming line. She pressed hands to fist so hard
that her nails dug against her palms. She fervently wished nobody would tell
her to go away and return to her work in the kitchen.

"Okay, relax everyone, Degrorth is going to walk slowly past you all, and
she'll tell me if she thinks any of you could become candidates," Oria
began. "It is your choice whether you accept search, with the permission of
your parents, or crafter that you report to. You don't need to decide right
away, remember that you can wait until there are eggs on the sands."

** Did she need her aunts permission? Shell it, her aunt would never
let her go**, Ciendra thought.

N'dori noticed her desperate expression. Perhaps she was someone they
needed to 'help' out of the hold.

Lecordin moved to the side so he could watch both the riders and the
Steward's window. Hopeful faces watched the whirling eyes of the two
dragons and more than one parent watched their child. Green Valley
always paid their tithe both in goods and candidates but that didn't
mean the parents were always happy about it. He was proud of the ones
who actually supported a young person when they were searched.

His eyes shifted to the green dragons. He'd never actually seen a gold
or even a bronze close up though he thought he'd picked them out of a
wing high in the sky where the sun glinted off their hides. These were
so big up close he couldn't imagine how much bigger the other colors
were relative to the two greens.

Lecordin saw the look on Ciendra's face and scanned the crowd for her
aunt. He didn't see her but he nodded to the girl. He'd try to help if
he could though he didn't really have much of a say in these things.

Ciendra saw Lecording's smile and took as an encouraging sign.

Degrorth began her slow procession along the line of youngsters. She'd cast
a glance at N'dori and the way the young steward had smiled at the girl.
**What do you think of her?** she asked of her green.

}:I'm not sure, but she is eager,:{ came the green's response. }:She seems
to want to go with us.:{

**Are you searching her?**

}:I'm helping her,:{ Degrorth told her rider. }:She doesn't want to be
here.:{

A few more minutes, and the green dragon had finished her work.

"Degrorth tells me that she sees potential riders here," she began. "You,"
she said pointing to the girl, "And also you." Her finger pointed to the
steward. "She thinks you two would be good riders."

Lecordin nodded as the dragon paused in front of the girl. However,
the riders announcement caused his jaw to drop. "Me?" How was that
even possible, he wondered. "No, you must be mistaken."

}:Tell him I am not mistaken,:{ Degrorth insisted. }:He has it, I can feel
it.:{

Oria repeated what her dragon had told her. "She's very insistent that you
could be a dragonrider, Degrorth says she can feel it."

"Never argue with a lady," N'dori adviced the young man. "Or a
dragon," he added.

He blinked still stunned by the pronouncement. His mouth opened and
closed but nothing came out. Before he could make a complete fool of
himself Ciendra's aunt came bustling into the scene, pushing through
the crowd.

"There you are girl," the woman said harshly. "Cook's been wondering
where you'd got to. Get back to work!" Her arm reared back as though
she were about to strike the girl and Lecordin reacted by blocking
the blow.

That broke the stun and hIs eyes flamed at the woman. "She's been
searched woman," he said coldly. "Go back to the kitchens." He'd never
heard that tone in his own voice before and didn't recognize it for
what it was. But anyone who'd ever been on the receiving end of a
dressing down from Lord Corowal would have heard his voice.

Dourla's eyes widened as if she was just this moment noticing the two
huge dragon's standing there. She squealed like a stuck porcine and
backed up into the crowd. There was a bit of suppressed laughter from
the gathered folk. Dourla's treatment of her niece hadn't been a
big secret and there were several in the crowd glad to see the girl
had a chance to escape.

Well, Ciendra just got herself a new hero, Lecordin. She was all round eyed
and couldn't believe it. He sent her aunt off!

N'dori chuckled. "We better take the girl with us straight away," he
murmured to Oria.

Oria nodded her assent. "Do you need help to gather your things," she asked
the girl gently.

He also nodded as the green riders spoke. "She should go with you," he
said to the two riders. He wasn't quite sure how all this worked and
truthfully he wasn't quite sure he wanted to go to the Weyr. "I need
to think about it. Can I do that?"

"You can take a sevenday or so to think about it, but once there are eggs on
the sands you will need to decide," Oria said. "Take this," and she offered
a search token. "It has my name, and that of my dragon on this side, and
states Dolphin Cove on the other. Show it to any rider and they'll know to
take you to us."

He reached out to take the token and turned it slowly over in his
fingers. Then he looked around for Ciendra. "Alright," he said in a
bit of a fog. So many thoughts dashed through his mind about his
expectations and his life at Green Valley. He just needed some time to
process it all and make a decision. This whole thing was very
unexpected and that was an understatement.

Ciendra nodded wordlessly.

N'dori croutched to be more on her level. "If you don't mind, I can come
with you, so your aunt won't give you a hard time," his tone was gentle. He
didn't have children of his own, but he was used to dealing with weyrbrats,
having large number of siblings.

Ciendra just kept nodding.

"You've nothing to worry about," Oria assured her, "I'll set my straps to
take you as a passenger, and you'll like the Weyr."

Turning briefly to the young steward, she said. "Look me up when you make it
to the Weyr, I want to see what you impress."

Lecordin just nodded and half smiled at the greenrider. He was still
stunned to find himself in this position.

Last updated on the March 26th 2014

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